Eros
by Dongyrn
Summary: Velvet's interest in a member of Team JNPR causes problems for Ren, as well as the rest of the couples as they try to help. Ninth story in the Lemonade series and sequel to Yuletide Lemonade.


**Standard Disclaimer:** All rights belong to those whose rights they belong to, primarily the glorious minds at Rooster Teeth, though quite namely not me. Don't own a thing.

* * *

Beacon Academy  
Friday Evening

Velvet Scarlatina was pacing her room, her head bowed and brow furrowed. The other occupant in the room, her team leader Coco Adel, amusedly watched how the bunny Faunus' floppy ears would sway each time she would change course.

"I can do this," Velvet stated to herself, the confident words slightly undermined by the tremor in her voice.

"You can do this," Coco agreed calmly.

"And it's not like I've never talked to him before."

"True enough," Coco smirked.

Velvet let out a despondent sigh and flopped onto her bed. "I can't do this," she moaned.

"Yes, you can. What's the worse that could happen, really?"

The Faunus lifted her head enough to stare at her best friend incredulously. "Um, permanent ostracization? Ridicule? Violence? Shall I go on?"

"Now you're just being dramatic. There is zero chance of violence. Same for ridicule or whatever that other word was you said."

"Ostracization."

"Bless you." Coco leaned over and gave her an encouraging smile while slipping her sunglasses off to let her friend see the sincerity in her eyes. "You. Can. Do. This."

Velvet laid her head back again, nodding slowly as she stared at the ceiling. "All right, then. Tomorrow morning."

"You want Fox and me to back you up?"

"No, no… I'll be fine. Really."

Coco shook her head affectionately. "Okay then, but don't be afraid to call for reinforcements."

Saturday Morning

Lie Ren knew he had several understated talents. He certainly wasn't egotistical about them, but the soft-spoken boy understood what he was good at. Stand-up brawls, not so much, but anything that put his agility to the test, well… That was when he really shined.

One of his lesser-known attributes, lesser meaning aside from Nora who knew him better than a sibling might, was his patience. Certainly, some might attach that label to him after seeing him interact with the orange-haired hellion, but in fact he learned such patience from the hunt. Stalking his prey, waiting for the proper time and location to make his strike unseen from the shadows.

Perhaps his biggest flaw in that regard was a tendency to wait too long, sometimes to the last possible second.

And that flaw was coming back to bite him squarely on the posterior this morning.

It started out routinely enough, with the combined teams of RWBY and JNPR sharing the breakfast table per usual nowadays. Nora was wolfing down her pancakes next to her girlfriend Yang, who in turn was sleepily sipping from her coffee and not paying attention to the pancakes that Nora was pilfering from her plate. Though, knowing Yang, she was fully aware of it and let the pinkette go on thinking she was being sneaky in her efforts.

Across from them were Weiss and Pyrrha, leaning close enough to each other that their long platinum and red hairs were intermixed like a kaleidoscope. Ren would never have imagined the two of them getting together, much less be so good for each other, but he had to admit over the past few months he'd seen a change for the better in the both of them. He supposed they had much more in common than he'd previously assumed, and it seemed to work well for the couple.

Ruby must have had a late night of it, as her head was down on the table next to her breakfast tray, cradled in the crook of one arm. Soft snores were issuing from behind the curtain of unkempt dark red hair and a small pool of drool was beginning to form on the table surface, while Blake sat next to her, reading from a book held in one hand while the other gently stroked her girlfriend's back.

Ren, of course, was sitting in his usual spot across from Jaune.

"So, maybe we should hit Vale later today. I heard the armorer has some new stuff in, I'd like to see if maybe I could do some upgrades on this old set." Jaune blew across the top of his coffee as he waited for Ren's reply.

 _So long as we get to do it together, it doesn't matter to me where we go._ "That sounds acceptable," he said instead, his voice casual.

"Oh, hey Velvet!" Nora piped up cheerfully. "How's it going?"

"Hello Nora, everyone." The bunny Faunus was standing by their table somewhat nervously, her hands behind her back and shifting from foot to foot. "Um, I'm well, thanks. I was wondering though…"

The others looked at her expectantly, even Ruby who had woken up and was glancing around fuzzily. "Oh, hi Velvet!" the diminutive girl spoke up belatedly.

"Hello, Ruby," Velvet said with a smile. She seemed to gather up her courage and directed her next question at one particular individual.

"Jaune, do you have a moment to, er, walk with me?"

"Me?" the blonde asked stupidly. He shook his head as if to clear it. "Sorry, that was a dumb reaction… Yeah, sure Velvet, let me just dump my tray…"

The pair of them walked off together towards the bins, Velvet alongside and clenching her hands behind her tightly. At the table, the remaining team members looked at each other bemusedly.

"What do you suppose that's all about?" Ruby asked curiously, wiping the drool from her cheek with her sleeve.

"I'd say she's going to ask him out," Weiss stated casually.

Six sets of eyes swiveled to pin her with incredulous gazes.

"How d'you figure?" Yang asked.

"Look at Team CVFY. They're staring after the two like they're going to snap his legs off if he makes a wrong move, or break her heart for that matter. They're a very protective team."

"Well, listen to you, so conversant in matters of love," Pyrrha teased her gently, running her hands through her girlfriend's platinum tresses.

Weiss blushed lightly, but her eyes lidded as she leaned into the touch. "Why do you always touch me like that after you tease me?" she murmured.

"So you won't get angry with me for teasing you."

"Well, it's working. Carry on."

"Yes, my little Snowflake."

"Ugh, you two," Yang snickered, shaking her head.

Nora, however, was looking at Ren worriedly.

"You okay?" she whispered.

Ren nodded his head calmly. "It's fine, Nora. I'm just going up to the room, see you all there."

She still stared after him, her turquoise eyes shining as he dumped his tray and exited the dining hall.

"Okay," Ruby interjected. "Now that was _that_ all about?"

"Can you guys keep a secret?" Nora murmured, her eyebrows furrowed.

Five heads of various colors immediately leaned in conspiratorially.

Nora sighed in a most un-Nora-like fashion. "Ren's had a crush on Jaune for awhile. I think he waited too long to tell him about it."

"Oh, my," Pyrrha breathed.

"Well, that sucks," Yang stated. "So what can we do?"

"Maybe we should bring him with us tonight?" Blake asked hesitantly, referring to the planned movie excursion of the three couples.

"No, he'd just feel left out," Nora sighed. "And worse, since it's a RomCom we're going to, he'd be all depressed, but wouldn't tell anyone about it, and then it'd just get worse when he realized he was depressed but not telling anyone about it, and then go on a murderous rampage through the school."

There was dead silence as the other five girls stared at her.

"Okay," Nora admitted, "maybe a little exaggerated at the last bit there…"

"She's not completely wrong, though," Pyrrha broke in. "He would be upset going with us and not want to show it. He's a very… reserved person."

Yang snorted humorously. "Reserved? He could teach a rock to be laconic."

Nora smacked her upside the back of her head, causing her blonde mane of hair to flip over her face. "You be nice!" she scolded.

"Hey, don't get me wrong!" the blonde bruiser protested through the curtain of hair. "I like the guy a lot, even more so since he's so close to you! And I get along with him… well, on the few times he's actually spoken to me… but it's important to me to stay on his good side. So really, I do like him."

Nora peered at her girlfriend, pulling the messy blonde strands aside to uncover a pair of earnest violet eyes. "Why is that so important to you?" she asked curiously.

Yang shrugged. "He's like your brother, right? So, maybe some day he'll be family to me as well."

The orange-haired girl's turquoise eyes widened before she flung herself at her girlfriend. Yang let out a startled squawk as the two of them tumbled to the floor, which was cut off by the virtue of Nora's lips fastened on her own.

"Whelp, there they go," Ruby snarked.

Weiss rolled her eyes. "While the two of them make out on the dirty cafeteria floor, why don't we resume our discussion. What can we do for Ren?"

Pyrrha glanced at her girlfriend curiously. "And why do _you_ care so much? I mean, you're not friends with him, are you?"

"Well, no, but he's your teammate, and your friend." Weiss looked at her nails, feigning casualness, but the slight blush gave her away.

"And your feelings go along the same lines as Yang's," Blake commented perceptively.

"I said no such thing. Implied, yes, said, no." Weiss glanced at the redheaded girl next to her. "Do not think of tackling me."

"Wouldn't dream of it, Snow Angel," Pyrrha purred as she leaned in and gave Weiss' earlobe a gentle nibble. "I'll show you my appreciation later, in private."

Both Ruby and Blake erupted in laughter at the bright crimson hue to their teammate's face.

"Hormones," Blake chuckled.

"Ain't they grand?" Ruby snarked.

"Works for me!" the giggling voice of Nora chimed in from under the table.

"Will you two please get back up here!" Weiss hissed, trying to cover up her discomfort.

The pair of laughing girls eventually did crawl back up onto their seats, the two of them flushed and with their clothing in disarray.

"So, what shall we do?" Pyrrha asked, still smiling widely as she clasped hands with her girlfriend.

"Well…" Ruby began, glancing at the Faunus next to her. "What if we…"

"Do you think so?" Blake asked softly.

"It wouldn't hurt."

"But we don't really know enough..."

"That's why we have…"

"True, but…"

"No, it'll work, I'm sure of it. Worth a shot, anyway."

"Alright then, you know you have my support."

The pair of them looked at the other two couples expectantly.

"Um, someone wanna translate all that from Ruby-Blake into plain-speak?" Yang asked hesitantly.

"Oh! Sorry," Ruby blushed lightly. "We think we should try and set Ren up with someone."

Blake nodded. "We don't really know his preferences, other than, I'm assuming, guys. But Nora and Pyrrha could fill us in."

"Now _that_ ," Nora stated, her eyes gleaming, "is an _excellent_ idea!"

"Ewww, Yang, you have food stuck in your hair!" Ruby complained. "No, don't you dare… Yang, I mean it, don't you dare fling that at me! _Yang_!"

Saturday Afternoon

"Sooo, Ren!" Nora chirped as she flopped onto her bed. "Can I ask you a question? Totally, like, off-the-wall and such."

Ren blinked his eyes uncertainly and put the book he was reading down next to him on his mattress. "Go ahead," he replied curiously.

"What's important to you in a guy? I mean, one that you like." Nora scrunched up her face in thought. "Like, like-like. That was only two real 'likes', right there."

"Are you asking me what I find attractive in someone?"

"Yes, exactly! Only you said it much better than I did."

"I suppose…" Ren hummed thoughtfully. "I like the eyes."

"Eyes?"

"That's correct."

"So you find a guy's eyes their most attractive feature."

"Among other things, yes."

"Oookayyy," Nora drawled. "So what other things, then?"

Ren gazed at his best friend, his magenta eyes probing. "Why do you ask?"

"Oh, you know…" Nora chuckled. "No reason. Just curious, really."

He shook his head bemusedly, his dark hair swaying. Ren knew he would never be able to deny any request from the orange-haired girl who he'd grown up with, but he had a sneaking suspicion where this conversation was going.

"All right, then… I very much like someone who is taller than me."

"Oooh, so you like someone who can take charge of you, huh?"

"Nora," Ren admonished flatly.

She snickered unabashedly. "Oh, I'm just teasing. You know I tease, right? So, tall and nice eyes. That's not a lot to go off of."

"You wouldn't be assembling a profile or anything of the sort, would you?" Ren asked calmly. "Say, to set me up on a date?"

"Whaaat?" she protested loudly. "Whatever would give you such an absurd idea?"

"Absurd?"

"Completely absurd. Groundless, really."

"I see. So there wouldn't be any chance of, oh, perhaps Yang walking in here to casually ask more of such questions?"

"Nooo," Nora chuckled uncomfortably. "See, now you're just being paranoid…"

Just then Yang pushed the door open and strolled through casually. "Hey, so I heard these two guys… talking… and…" She trailed off, her brow furrowed as she examined her girlfriend. Ren could see out of the corner of his eye that Nora was frantically waving her off, mouthing "Abort! Abort!"

He sighed good-naturedly. "I appreciate the thought. But I'm fine, truly."

Nora and Yang shared a glance as he picked up his book again. "Okay then, Ren," Nora said softly as she walked out of the room, holding hands with the blonde.

Out in the corridor, the other two couples were waiting anxiously.

"So? What have we got?" Weiss prompted.

Nora sighed. "We got busted," she moaned. "My stealthy conversational skills have completely failed me. Failed, I tell you!"

"So he picked up on the grilling," Ruby summarized.

"Yep. And he finished with his usual, 'I'm fine' spiel. Ugh!" Nora threw her hands up in disgust. "He can be such a _guy_ sometimes!"

"Do we not have anything?" Blake asked skeptically. "You didn't get any facts at all out of him?"

"Well, I know he likes eyes, and guys who are taller than him. That's it."

"It's a start," Pyrrha said slowly.

Blake nodded. "And it does narrow it down some. Did he mention eye color, or just eyes?"

The pinkette tapped her chin thoughtfully. "No, no color. He just said, 'the eyes,' that was his favorite."

"So if it's a favorite, he would have mentioned color," Blake deduced. "Since he didn't mention color, we can safely assume it's more than that."

"Oooh, look at you, getting all investigative-mode on us," Ruby snickered. " _Rawr_."

"Ruby," her blonde sister protested while pinching the bridge of her nose. "Don't ever do that again while I'm around."

"But-"

"No. Just... no."

"Oh, fine," Ruby pouted. It soon evaporated from her face when Blake gave her a wink and a smile.

"Anyway," Weiss interjected, getting them back on track. "What else would be attractive other than color? I'm not much of an 'eyes' person, myself… Oh, except for yours sweetie, I could stare into those beautiful green orbs all day…"

"You are so charming," Pyrrha murmured. "I like how yours change in the sunlight."

"They do?"

"Mmhmm, they sparkle like jewels."

"Oh," Weiss breathed.

"People! Can we focus here, please?" Nora exclaimed.

"You know it's gone sideways when Nora's the one to keep a conversation on track," Blake whispered loudly.

"I know, right?" Ruby giggled.

The orange-haired girl stomped her foot irritably. "Eyes! We're talking about eyes here! What is it he would like if not the color?"

Any reply that would have been made was cut off as the door to Team JNPR's room opened to reveal a stony-faced Ren. "It's not the color so much as the peaceful warmth," he explained. "Tranquility and strength. It's a Zen thing. Now, please, can you move this conversation into the other room so that I might finish my book?"

With that, he closed the door again.

The six girls looked at each other consideringly. "You know," Weiss began. "I think that's the most words I've ever heard him string together at once."

Saturday Evening

The two teams gathered again before they headed down for dinner, save for Jaune who was going out with Velvet on their first date. The three established couples took a break from their, so far unsuccessful, matchmaking efforts earlier to help the beleaguered boy get ready.

"Make sure you compliment her shoes," Weiss instructed.

"And if her purse matches her shoes, compliment that as well," Yang added.

"Oh!" Ruby bounced up and down eagerly. "And her hair! That's always a nice thing to compliment on, or of, or… Where was I going with that?"

Blake pulled the excitable girl down onto her lap where she perched on the edge of Pyrrha's bed. "It's okay, Little Gem, I think he got the gist of it," she murmured with a soft smile.

"Guys, come on!" Jaune protested. "How am I going to remember all of this?"

"Well, why aren't you taking notes?" Weiss replied archly.

Pyrrha chuckled warmly. "Jaune, you'll do fine, just be yourself."

"Oh, sure, like that worked so well the last time," he scoffed. "Um, okay so I just realized how really awkward that just made things…"

Weiss waved him off cheerfully. "Don't worry about it. I'm just as glad that you botched the whole thing, really. Much happier now."

"Dear," her redheaded girlfriend interjected gently. "We're trying to build his confidence up."

"Oh! Right!" The heiress cleared her throat regally. "You'll do fine, Jaune."

The blonde team leader sighed. He straightened his slumped shoulders up and turned to regard his other male teammate who sat on his own bed. "So, what do you think, Ren?"

The raven-haired boy regarded him calmly with his magenta eyes, taking in his slacks and polo shirt. "She can't help but be taken with you, Jaune," he stated.

"Thanks, buddy," Jaune replied breezily. "Okay, then, I'm off!"

The six girls regarded Ren sadly as they headed down to the cafeteria.

"Will you all please stop staring at me?" Ren asked quietly.

"Sorry, Ren," Ruby replied contritely. "We just care about you, you know?"

He smiled at the other team leader gently. "I appreciate your friendship. But really, I am fine."

They sat around the dinner table, freely exchanging their usual jibes and laughter, the three couple's enthusiasm for their approaching movie date obvious.

"Too bad we're not seeing a horror flick," Yang grinned. "Nora always jumps and hides in my lap when we watch those."

"I so do not!" Nora protested loudly. "I merely try to comfort you, Blondie, as I know you get easily scared."

"Oh, I do?"

"Absolutely. It's a well-known fact. Established, you might say."

"Pfft, you're delusional, Valkyrie."

Ruby shook her head amusedly. "Those aren't my kinda thing, anyways. Blake's either, from her reaction the last time."

"I was startled, was all," the Faunus interjected loftily.

"Blakey, you went from a sitting position on the floor up to my bed in a single leap."

"As I said. Startled."

"I prefer romantic comedies anyway," Pyrrha reassured them. "They are much more to my liking."

"Mine as well," Weiss stated with a smile.

Ruby leaned her head on Blake shoulder with a reminiscent smile. "That was our first date," she stated softly. "Before we even knew we were dating."

Blake blushed lightly. "How could I forget?" she murmured.

Ren watched the three couples interact with amusement. Each one had a different dynamic, though they were all well matched. And they brought our different aspects of each other as well, Ruby and Blake with their romanticism, Weiss and Pyrrha with their selflessness, and Yang and Nora their more playful side.

He didn't really consider himself to be a romantic, but he could easily see the three couples lasting for a long, long while, if they all managed to survive in their line of work.

Soon enough it was time for them to depart upstairs to get ready for the evening. Ren waved to them as they left while he lingered over his dinner.

 _Well, I suppose it's just me for the evening._

"I see you are without a team as well," a nearby voice rumbled quietly.

Ren glanced up to see Yatsuhashi Daichi standing with his tray in hand. "No Team CVFY?" he asked curiously.

The giant second-year shook his head. "No, Coco and Fox are spending the night in town. And I believe you know Velvet's plans."

"Yes, I do."

"You seem troubled. Do you mind if I join you?"

Ren blinked his eyes. "Not at all."

The tanned man settled himself down across from him, moving lightly for such a tall person. The pair finished their meals in comfortable silence.

"Do you have plans this evening?" Yatsuhashi asked quietly once Ren had set his utensil down.

"Not really, no."

"I find it helpful to meditate when my mind is unsettled." He looked searchingly into Ren's magenta eyes, his own dark orbs like pools of calm. "Would you care to join me out in the gardens?"

"I would like that, yes." Ren gave him a soft smile which was returned.

As the two men walked to deposit their trays, Ren shook his head very slightly as he glanced up at the other, towering over a foot above him.

 _It's always the eyes that do me in..._

* * *

 **A/N:** So this was something a little different. I am absolutely not a yaoi writer, nor even a reader, so this is a bit outside of my comfort zone. But, I figure there's no way to grow if I always stay in my comfort zone. Still threw in a healthy dose of yuri, though, because it's me. As for the title, I was originally going for something like matchmaker, but that was too obvious, and that led me to Cupid, and then the current title which is the Greek form of the Roman god of love.

This story is the sequel to the _Yuletide Lemonade_ holiday special, and is the ninth story in my _Lemonade_ series. Many thanks for reading, and a quick shout-out to my wonderful reviewers of the last story: **AntonSlavik020** and **ODST110** , love hearing from you guys, you rock my socks!

 **EDIT:** For the Lie Ren and Yatsuhashi Daichi pairing, officially I'm going to have to go with **Uriel Godfire** 's suggestion of Zen Masters. It's far too awesome to pass up.

Here's the full listing of the _Lemonade_ series, in order:

 **Pink Lemonade  
** **Just A Little Ladybug  
** **North Pole Weather  
** **Snow Angel  
** **Sweet, Sweet Lemonade  
** **Ladybug Trails  
** **Trifecta  
** **Yuletide Lemonade  
** ** _Eros_  
** **Lotus Song  
** **Strawberry Lemonade  
** **Ladybug Stitches  
** **North Pole Mirror  
** **Fallen Ladybug  
Sugar Rush  
North Pole Faith**

Stay shiny!


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